According to statistics, about 80% -90% of patients have died of tumor
complications, rather than from tumor itself. Tumor complications can produce
different degree of effect on patient's life, and serious complications are
major causes of cancer patients’ death. Many cancer patients not only need to
fight with cancer, but also need to tolerate the suffering brought by
complications.

38 -year-old Estrella, a cervical cancer patient from the Philippines, had
suffered from left lower extremity deep vein thrombosis after six months of
chemotherapy and radiotherapy. This was a complication due to vena cava
oppression caused by tumor of cervical cancer. The oppression made vessels
become narrow, so that blood of lower limb could not smoothly return to heart,
forming severe blood retention in the lower extremities and resulting in limb
swelling and pain.

Abnormal swelling and pain of left leg made her unable to walk; even her
right leg was also affected. This kind of pain made Estrella frown all day, but
what was even more worrying was if it could not treated timely, it would likely
lead to amputation or death.

Traditional therapy was difficult to ensure security

Director Wang Ronghua of Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou introduced that,
thrombolytic therapy was the main method for treating deep venous thrombosis.
The thrombolytic drugs can be injected through the peripheral peripheral vein,
resulting in thrombus deciduousness and facilitating blood circulation. But
deciduous thrombus can flow into the lungs and form pulmonary artery embolism.
Pulmonary artery embolism will accelerate the death of patients; therefore, if
there is only implementation of thrombolysis, it is difficult to ensure safety
of the treatment.

Being brave to make innovation to solve problem with new technologies

Director Wang Ronghua presented that set a filter in the vena cava, and
fine mesh of the filter can prevent blood clots from flowing back into the
lungs. This is of important significance in preventing the formation of
pulmonary embolism in clinical. This method is often used during thrombolysis
surgery of deep venous thrombosis of lower limbs. However, blood vessels of
Estrella have been suppressed so severe that filter’s screen could not be
opened.

When all the doctors were at loss how to do this surgery, Director Zhen
Yanli and Director Wang Ronghua of Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou surgical
intervention, owning many years of clinical interventional surgery experience,
combined three surgeries in a thoughtful and innovative way to solve the medical
problem successfully.

They implemented three steps in the single operation: ① first conducted
bracket transplantation surgery. The bracket, transplanted in narrow blood
vessels, could prop the vessels open.② Implanted filter into the bracket, the
filter in the propped blood vessels can smoothly open to prevent shedding of
thrombus from flowing back to the lungs. ③ Implanted micro small intravascular
catheter of 0.038inch in fine blood vessels, and injected thrombolytic drugs
through the micro-catheter to perform thrombolytic surgery. It is understood
that this three-pronged surgical approach is very rare in China, because the
surgery of implanting filter in the bracket is very difficult and needs superb
operating level of doctors.

Radiography of bracket after being implanted

Radiography after filter implantation

Radiography after thrombolysis

Up to four hours later, the surgery has achieved very good results. By DSA
angiography, it showed that the implanted filter expanded in good location; the
right external iliac vein that had no blood flow before, can be seen a lot of
collateral vessel formation; significantly enlarged bilateral ascending lumbar
vein has regained normal reverse flow; left femoral vein has changed from the
"thin" vessel into a apparent one with unobstructed flow. During the surgery,
the patient had no uncomfortable symptoms but normal vital signs. Nowadays, leg
swelling of Estrella has gradually reduced with the pain having already
disappeared, and the long-lost smile has finally showed in her face. Her smile
seems to thank all the efforts made by Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou for all
the doctors here have done their best in searching for practical measures to
alleviate patients’ pain.

Disclaimer: Therapeutic effect depends on individual patient's condition. The content of this website is for informational purpose only,this can not be the basis of medical diagnosis and treament and even can not replace the diagnosis and treatment from doctors.Please refer to Terms and Condition for more information.

Disclaimer: Operation is effective to early solid tumors, but it’s not suitable for most middle or advanced tumors. Patient with middle or advanced tumor is relatively weak, but the combination of minimally invasive therapy and chemotherapy or radiotherapy can effectively reduce the harm and side effects brought by the treatment and help patient get better efficacy.